Operator: Good day, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Belmont Stakes Preview Conference Call.
Jim Mulvihill: Thank you, Michelle, and thanks, everybody, for joining us today. I’m not going to spend a lot of time setting this up. We all know what’s at stake. California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner seeks to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner in the Belmont Stakes. That’s next Saturday, June 7th. There hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. We’ve been in this position 12 times since, with 11 three year olds having come up short in the Belmont, and the most recent Derby and Preakness winner before this year, I’ll Have Another, scratched the day before the race in 2012. Now nine horses are expected to challenge California Chrome in the one and a half mile “Test of the Champion” as we call it.
Today we’re going to talk to the trainers of three potential spoilers of the Triple Crown. We’ve got Jimmy Jerkens, trainer of Wicked Strong, that’s the winner of the Wood Memorial and he was fourth last time out in the Kentucky Derby; then Billy Gowan, trainer of Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin; and we’ll talk to Dallas Stewart, trainer of Derby runner-up Commanding Curve. He’s one of four in this race that ran in the Derby but chose to skip the Preakness. Then we’ll finish up with the man of the hour, Art Sherman, trainer of California Chrome talking to us from his Southern California base at Los Alamitos.
Now before we get to our guests, we’ve got a few notes. First I’ll start with the Belmont week broadcast schedule. With the Triple Crown on the line, NBC Sports has expanded its Belmont coverage to 16 hours of programming led by the NBC broadcast of the Belmont Stakes at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on June 7. Coverage begins Wednesday on NBC Sports Network with a half hour documentary, “California Chrome: The Unlikely Champion”, narrated by Bob Costas at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, NBC Sports Network revisits recent Belmont winners in two episodes of “Belmont Classics”. Those are at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Then Friday on NBC Sports Network, live coverage of that afternoon’s stakes action from Belmont, plus all the latest on Belmont Day as part of “Belmont Stakes Access” at 5 p.m., followed by recaps of the Derby and the Preakness at 8:30 and 9:30. Then race coverage on June 7 begins at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sport Network before switching to the flagship network at 4:30. Bonus post-race coverage will be available on NBC Sport Network at 7 p.m. Our kudos to NBC Sports Group for providing coverage worthy of the occasion.
Also note that they’re going to host a teleconference with their on-air talent after the post-position draw on Wednesday. That’ll be about an hour after the post draw. If you’re on the NTRA distribution list, we’ll make sure that you get the details on how to dial into that call.
The Belmont post-position draw, that’s Wednesday at the track in the Garden Terrace, and that’ll be shown live on MSG Plus beginning at 11 a.m.
Also note, the radio schedule, the Horse Racing Radio Network will be live on Belmont Stakes Day 2 to 7 p.m. Eastern with all of the graded stakes. Also don’t miss “At the Races with Steve Byk”, live from Belmont starting June 4th and on the air every weekday from 10 to 1 Eastern. HRRN and “At the Races” can be heard on Sirius 93 and XM 208.
Also, mark your calendars for a Belmont press luncheon. That’s coming up on Tuesday at noon at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan. That’s at the 620 Loft & Garden at Rockefeller Center. If you’re interested in that, just e-mail Jim Gluckson. He’s at jimgluckson@verizon.net.
Now, with all that aside, let’s get on with it and talk about some horses. Our first guest this morning is Jimmy Jerkens, trainer of Wicked Strong. The Wood Memorial winner, Wicked Strong, ran a strong fourth in the Derby despite an eventful trip, and almost immediately it was decided that he would skip the Preakness and point to the Belmont at his home base in New York.
Jimmy Jerkens, you’re on with Jim Mulvihill. Thanks for joining us.
Jimmy Jerkens: Thank you.
Jim Mulvihill: So you decided pretty quickly after the Derby that you were going to skip the Preakness and point for the Belmont instead. Tell us why that was such an easy decision to make?
Jimmy Jerkens: I don’t know. It was—we kind of thought to ourselves for some reason that unless he did win the Derby that we were going to skip the Preakness. I guess because we always had in the back of our minds that Belmont would’ve been the one that he would have the best shot in of all the Triple Crown races. I don’t know. I don’t really know why. Maybe it’s because it was right in our backyard and he had shown that the distance would probably be more up his alley than some of the others in there. But after he ran in the Derby, he kind of hit his pastern pretty bad and got kind of—he wasn’t sore on his legs so to speak, but he was sore a little; the spots where he hit his (inaudible). So we—after seeing that we kind of—it kind of made our decision a little easier. We wanted to get the soreness out and get him healed up in time for the Belmont.
Jim Mulvihill: Now that he has had a few weeks, how would you assess his fitness right now, and what are you seeing presently?
Jimmy Jerkens: Well, he’s good and fit. I mean he stays good and fit, but we’ve—you know—he had a real good solid work here three days ago. Three or four days ago he went a mile in 39 on the training track, and galloped out about a mile and an eighth in about 54, so, you know, which is a very good work especially on a training track. We wanted to keep him on the training track to prevent him from going too fast. Sometimes when you—still I wanted to keep that two turn kind of a mind frame going into the Belmont to try to increase our chances of him settling early in the race and saving something for the end.
Jim Mulvihill: Tell us about him in New York? When we had you on before the Derby we talked about how he didn’t really blossom this year until getting out of Florida and coming back up here. Then, you know, he has this history of pre-race antics, so do you think that people can expect that he’s more himself when he’s running out of his own stall in New York?
Jimmy Jerkens: That doesn’t have to be so. I thought he handled himself terrific in Kentucky. He did a little bit of thumping in the gate, but I don’t—that wasn’t any worse than he’s done in New York. So I—just the fact that it’s in our backyard and he seems to like the New York tracks with their consistency, he seems to bounce off the New York tracks a little better than he did in Kentucky, so—but as far as his acting, as far as—I don’t know if it’s going to make that much difference as far as if he acts good or not.
Jim Mulvihill: Very good. Well, Michelle, why don’t you check in with the media and see what kind of questions we have for Mr. Jerkens
Jean Minez: Hey, Jimmy. Since 1978, everything from jockey error to bad luck and everything in between have prevented the completion of the Triple Crown. In your opinion, what scenario is most likely to take place that would be needed to beat California Chrome, whether it’s your horse or someone else’s?
Jimmy Jerkens: Well, obviously California Chrome is going to have a bad day, you know, and it’s a hard grind, the Triple Crown, as everybody knows, especially for the modern day horse. But, you know, I guess a lot of the jockeys have been in the past that have gotten—have been accused of moving a little too quick in the Belmont. Everybody accused Desormeaux of doing it on Real Quiet, although I don’t know if I totally agree with that one, and also Smarty Jones, the rider was also accused of moving too soon. It is very tricky, especially jockeys that haven’t ridden at Belmont. You know, you’re heading to that far turn and you’ve got to remember that you’ve got a long way to go and then at the far turn than any other racetrack. So it’ll take a combination of things to beat him, that’s for sure. Everybody—one of our horses will have to run the race of their life and California Chrome will have to throw in a clunker.
Jean Minez: Thank you.
Frank Angst: Hey, Jimmy. I was wondering if you could just kind of describe the last few weeks with this horse since the Derby; what you’ve seen, just kind of what your mindset was on what you’re trying to get out of him in terms of preparation, and maybe a little bit more on the mile workout that he had?
Jimmy Jerkens: Well, we wanted to stay along the same way we’ve been training him, because he seemed to develop nicely, you know, with longer—kind of the longer works as opposed to the shorter faster ones, especially with the differences increasing. It just—it seems pretty logical. But I really like how he’s handled the work. He’s not a horse that carries a whole lot of flesh to him, but at the same time you need to be prepared. We’ve worked him pretty hard, and I’m really happy with the weight that he’s holding. He’s grown up and learned to handle things, and I really think he’s headed in the right direction.
Frank Angst: Do you prepare any differently for a mile and a half race, or is it the same challenge of just keeping your horse fit and sending him—go ahead?
Jimmy Jerkens: Not really if a horse has already been running long. You know, if you were trying to make a big jump, like years and years ago, John Veitch, who had a filly called Our Mims, who he had been sprinting most of the spring. He worked her a mile and a quarter at Belmont—he might’ve even worked her the full distance— I think he might’ve even worked her the full distance, and everybody was ridiculing him. And Woody Stephens, I remember he was saying and he was kind of being sarcastic about it and everything like that, but he felt she needed it because he had been—you know—I don’t think she had been over 7 furlongs for that whole spring. So, you know, and he proved it. He ended up winning the race, so he, you know, he made a lot of people a believer.
So, you know, like I said, though, in this horse’s case, a mile and a half, you know, it is a lot further than anybody’s been, but I figured if we stayed along the same way we’ve been training him, you know, he has been making forward motion in all of his races—at the end of all his races since he came back from Florida, so we figured we’d keep up the same kind of a training schedule.
Debbie Arrington: Hi. Thanks for coming on today. You’ve—Jimmy, you’re based there in New York. You’ve had the opportunity to see a lot of these Belmonts over the years, and we’ve had a lot of close calls. Have you been there for a lot of the almost Belmont winners and almost Triple Crown winners during this gap since Affirmed, and were there any that you thought were going to succeed that didn’t?
Jimmy Jerkens: Well, I thought the one that had the best chance was Smarty Jones. You know, I thought he—I thought he had won his races with more authority and I thought he—although he particularly wasn’t bred for the mile and a half, I just thought he had the class edge in a big way over the rest of them that year. But we all know it wasn’t meant to be. But also the one year I remember was Real Quiet. He got—I mean he got beat an inch for the Triple Crown, and I just can’t imagine how devastating that must’ve been for all the connections I thought after he won the Derby, I didn’t really like him for the Preakness, but he ended up winning that and he ended up getting beat a head for everything or a nose. I remember that race more than all the rest of them because I finished third in the race with a gelding that was bought for 50,000, so that was a big thrill. His name was Thomas Jo.
Debbie Arrington: Do you think that—is it the track more than anything that beats these horses?
Jimmy Jerkens: I don’t know. It’s not the same every year. I mean it’s not—obviously it isn’t the same when it’s wet because it might be faster some years. There might be—they have—if it’s run on under real hot conditions the track might dry out a little. You know, a big track like that is awful hard to keep a lot of water on it and it might get a little deep. But, you know, that’s the thing; everybody is running over the same track on that same particular day at that same particular time, so I don’t know if anybody is in more of an advantage than anybody else even if you’re training in New York. The track in New York can vary a lot day by day, more so than any other track.
Debbie Arrington: Very good. Well, best of luck.
Jimmy Jerkens: Thank you.
Beth Harris: You’ve been at Belmont. Have you seen California Chrome the last week or so as he’s been galloping there?
Jimmy Jerkens: Actually, I’ve only saw—I only saw him one day when—and it was quite—it was over a week ago, and I haven’t seen him since because I’m stabled far away from the main track, and I don’t—it takes me—I keep the majority of my horses over there at the training track. We do take a set over to the main track; a set or two every day. But he’s been going out between 6:30 and 7, and that’s usually not a time where I head over there to the main track, so, no, I haven’t seen much of him.
Beth Harris: Well, I guess I’m wondering what are you hearing? I mean obviously everybody talks at the track. They haven’t done a lot with him since the Preakness, but what are you hearing about how he looks and how he’s galloping?
Jimmy Jerkens: No, they don’t—well, he’s—he certainly can’t need a lot what he’s been through. You know, everybody we all agree that the horses nowadays aren’t as rugged as they used to be, yet this is the only time where people even dream of running them back this close together in these tougher races, so you—a person has to sit back and, you know, save him all he can. You know, it’s hard to imagine he could lose too much—that much fitness between races even—he is galloping two miles a day. Now I know he doesn’t gallop fast or anything like that, but two miles is two miles. So he is getting, you know, he is getting out there every day and it sounds like they’re going to give him a little blowout kind up close to the ace, and, you know, from the outside looking in it looks like the right—you know—the right thing to do. Just looking at the horse, he’s not a horse that—he’s a very athletic looking horse, and a horse that isn’t carrying any extra flesh as he wouldn’t after the campaign he’s had. So I wouldn’t go—I’m not thinking anything’s up by his—by them not doing any more than he’s doing in the morning. I think it’s—it makes perfect sense from what I can see.
Beth Harris: Okay, thank you.
Jim Mulvihill: All right, Jimmy, the only other thing I wanted to touch on was the pace of the race. I mean you said that in order to win, California Chrome would have to run less than his best race, but also on top of that, I imagine there’s a scenario that you would think of as ideal for your chances. Can you just describe what that would be?
Jimmy Jerkens: Not really going a mile and a half. It’s all so hard. It’s so different. It’s hard to imagine if he—he could—things could happen where he could end up close—he could end up close to the pace, who knows. It all depends on how each horse comes out of the gate, and, you know, it could be a complete flip flop as far as the pace goes. So I wouldn’t—I couldn’t—it’s even—I couldn’t even dream to think of—oh and it also depends on their post position, right? I can’t really think of any scenario that would be better. I probably wouldn’t want him on the lead unless everybody just came out of the gate and pulled their horses up, which never happens, so it’s just one of those things that Rajiv’s going to just have to—after he comes out of the gate and gallops into the turn, he’ll just have to decide if he’s going to go on a little bit or—and get a position, or tuck in and save. He should know by then what—by the time he gets him to the—into the first turn what the pace is going to be like. So I have confidence in Rajiv, but I can’t really—I really couldn’t—it would be unfair to say what the ideal trip would be, because it’s, again, it’s a mile and a half and it’s so much different than anything else, so.
Jim Mulvihill: And despite the Kentucky Derby and the Wood, I mean he has sat—he has sat closer as a two year old, and it’s not like Wicked Strong is a confirmed closer by any means.
Jimmy Jerkens: No. Again, it all depends on pace. And like in the Wood Memorial, although that was—that’s why I liked his chances so much when he turned down the backside is because he was laying close—relatively close to a very fast pace without being asked to, and that’s when you know your horse is really doing good. You know, that—just coming up from Florida he was super good, and, you know, I can’t really tell—I can’t really tell much—the Derby was still a big question mark. I thought he ran very well to be fourth, but at the same time, I’m not sure if it—I really can’t say if he ran as good as he did in the Wood either, so. But like I said, we’re really happy with how he’s training and we expect a big effort out of him.
Jim Mulvihill: Very good. Well, Jimmy, we appreciate your time today, and good luck in the Belmont.
Jimmy Jerkens: Thank you very much.
Jim Mulvihill: All right. Jimmy Jerkens, trainer of Wicked Strong.
We’ll roll right into our next guest, and that is Billy Gowan, the trainer of Ride On Curlin. Ride On Curlin, of course, will likely be the only three year old aside from California Chrome to run in all three of the Triple Crown races. He was seventh in the Derby, gobbling up ground after running a distant last the first half mile, and then he came back to finish a strong second in the Preakness. Ride On Curlin arrived in New York the Tuesday after the race in Baltimore, and he’s just two stalls down from California Chrome in Barn 26. Bronco Billy Gowan arrived in New York on Tuesday of this week.
Billy, you’re on with Jim Mulvihill. Thanks for being with us.
Billy Gowan: Thanks for having me.
Jim Mulvihill: Absolutely. It’s our pleasure. Maybe to start you can just tell us what Ride On Curlin did this morning at Belmont and your impressions of him since you got to town?
Billy Gowan: Well, he galloped a mile and a half this morning, and he was super; just looked like he always does, you know, just galloping with his ears up. I thought he looked really good. As far as he’s looked since I’ve got here, I think he looks excellent. He carries his weight really well. He, you know, he’s still got a good look in his eye. He’s a tough horse, so I’m pleased with everything.
Jim Mulvihill: Yes, tell us more about that toughness; that durability. I mean he’s run six or seven times this year, and showed up for, you know, Louisville and Baltimore. What kind of throwback horse is this that is able to run this often and not slow down?
Billy Gowan: Well, I mean so far, like I said, his energy is just as high as it’s always been. He hasn’t missed a note since before the Kentucky Derby. He’s eating up every night and he’s calling for feed every morning. His legs have been just as cold and tight as you could ask them to be. So I don’t know; he’s just a tough horse. You know, he can take a lot of work. I took him two miles on Tuesday, and he went the last mile in 1:51, and he’s always had legs coming back on the track, you know? So he’s just—like I said, he can take a lot of work.
Jim Mulvihill: Are you going to get a work in this weekend?
Billy Gowan: Yes, I’ll probably work him Sunday. It kind of depends on the weather. We’ll watch the weather. If it’s going to rain we’ll maybe do it Saturday or, you know, somewhere Saturday, Sunday or Monday, but my plan is to work him on Sunday.
Jim Mulvihill: Great. Okay, and I want to ask about your rider, too. You picked up John Velazquez. He’s a two-time Belmont winner. But you lost Joel Rosario and this will be your fifth jockey in five starts. I mean is this an issue for you as far as you’re concerned or does it not matter at this point?
Billy Gowan: Oh, I don’t really think it matters. You know, the horse makes the trainer, the jockey, and everybody. So, you know, he’s sitting on a nice horse and I’m happy to have him. He knows this track as good as any jockey out there, and, you know, I think if your horse is right, Johnny V. can get him there just as well as Joel.
Liz O’Connell: Welcome to New York, and could you elaborate a bit about how you choose—have you been training mostly on the main track or are you using the training track? How are you deciding what surface to train on?
Billy Gowan: Well, I’ve been training on the main track every day. You know, that’s where he’s going to run and I just like that big mile and a half track. You know, he can stretch his legs and not a lot of horses around him, so that’s the track he’s going to run over, so I’m comfortable with training over the main track.
Liz O’Connell: How do you like it?
Billy Gowan: I think it’s an excellent surface. You know, we were here last fall for the Champagne, and he got over really well that day or that week before, and I don’t see any difference being here this time. He’s getting over just as good as he did last time, and he seems really happy, and his legs are staying good and they’re holding tight, so I’m pleased with it all.
Danny Brewer: Talk about the ride that you’ve had over the last month or so with this horse, and what it’s meant to you as a trainer and a horseman?
Billy Gowan: Well, you know, (inaudible) the first time to do this, but it sure has been a lot of fun. I’m just proud of the fact that, you know, I picked the horse down at the sale, we got him—we ran him, you know, pretty often as a two year old and he stood the test. All this year he’s never missed a (inaudible), and he’s just like he always is. He’s just—you know—he’s full of energy and he’s a tough horse. So it’s been—I’m really proud of the horse more than anything just be able to make everything and to carry us this far.
Danny Brewer: Now as far as dancing, what do you think is going to happen here at the Belmont? Are you going to be cutting a real rug up here square dancing? And what’s going on? You got a game plan, and you think your horse is ready?
Billy Gowan: Well, I mean I definitely think the horse is ready. I mean I wouldn’t be running just to say I ran in the Belmont. I think I’ve got a legitimate chance of winning it or I wouldn’t be here. You know, I’ve got closer to California Chrome than anybody else has this year, so hopefully with a little added distance we can maybe take him. But he’s a tough horse, you know. I’ve got all the respect in the world for him. But I really think, you know, my horse gets a good clean run, we’ve got a good chance with him.
Danny Brewer: Billy, I appreciate your time and I wish you the best of luck.
Billy Gowan: Thanks a lot.
Terri Keith: When Nick Zito’s Birdstone beat Smarty Jones in the Belmont, he said he felt sorry. How do you feel about the prospect of your horse being the upsetter and upsetting another Triple Crown chance?
Billy Gowan: Well, I tried to do it in the Derby and the Preakness and I couldn’t get it done, but if I could do it in the Belmont, I’ll be—I won’t be too upset. I’ll be elated, to tell you the truth. You know, that’s what we’re here for. Art’s trying to beat me just as bad as I’m trying beat him. No, I won’t be too upset with it.
Terri Keith: Thank you.
Tim Wilkin: A lot’s been made about the modest beginnings of California Chrome, the breeding and all of that. Are you surprised that he’s done what he’s been able to do considering where he came from?
Billy Gowan: No, not really, because I mean you never know where a good horse is going to come from. You know, they don’t really have to have royal bloodlines to be a racehorse. I think it comes in a little more important when they’re a stallion prospect, but, you know, a racehorse can come from anywhere. Look at John Henry. He didn’t have any—you know—a whole lot of serious breeding, and he’s one of the greatest racehorses who’s ever lived. No, I’m not surprised at all with it. You know, God made a fast one.
Tim Wilkin: Now you saw him—you’ve seen him a lot especially down at Pimlico. What are your impressions of him when you see him up close?
Billy Gowan: Well, he carries his weight really well, too. He’s kind of like my horse. He’s a lot longer type of horse than mine, but he’s a real sound looking horse, too. You know, he’s a tough horse. He doesn’t miss—he’s on his feet and goes about his business. He’s a little quieter than my horse, but he sure does look good. He carries himself like a racehorse; you know, he doesn’t have a lot of wasted energy, he doesn’t get nervous or anything like that, he just—he’s got a good mind.
Tim Wilkin: If everything’s equal, does he win the race?
Billy Gowan: No, because it’s never really been equal. You know, he’s had—well, I mean he’s had two perfect trips, and he’s had really excellent post positions. You know, in the Derby we had 19 and in the Preakness I was 10 out of 10; I was off on the outside again. So I’d like to just get a good post position and a good clean run and we’ll see.